Most salon suites charge $49 to $159/mo, tax you per groomer, and freeze at the counter when your hands are wet. Bristle keeps the day book, deterministic coat-and-weight pricing, one-tap payment recording, pet caution notes, and next-visit scheduling in one fast screen.
Goldendoodle · Curly coat · 42 lb · Client: Priya Shah
Behavior & caution: Sensitive behind the ears. Pulls a rear leg up if you rush the feet.
$107.00
Full groom · Mara Ellison
$107.00 service + $20.00 tip · Card recorded on your reader. Double-tapping never double-logs.
Coat: Feathering tangle behind ears · Behavior: Calm · Next visit: Keep #4 blade on body.
First open slot for Mara: Mon, Nov 23 at 9:30 AM (or tweak date & time inline before confirming).
Why Groomers Switch
Full groom, Bath & brush, and Deshed automatically adjust price and duration from the dog's coat type (short, wire, long, double, curly) and weight tier. Nail trims stay flat.
Computed deterministically on device — never guessed by an AI prompt.
Checkout records the service amount, tip, and payment method (cash, card recorded, or other). Saving twice with wet hands keeps the original payment record without duplicating revenue.
No forced card processor or hidden transaction surcharge inside the book.
Closeout saves a structured grooming note on the pet, calculates household no-show risk, and proposes the groomer's next open slot. You can adjust the date or time inline before confirming.
Blends coat default intervals with the dog's actual visit history.
The 3-Step Counter Loop
Book a client, one of their pets, a groomer, a service, and a start time. Last visit coat notes, vaccine notes, and household no-show risk appear right on the appointment screen.
You record the amount, the tip, and how the client paid (cash, card on your terminal, or other). The visit marks as paid immediately.
Jot raw observations to generate a structured pet note and next-visit caution. Confirm the suggested slot or pick a custom date and time while the owner is standing at the counter.
2026 Price & Seat Reality
| Software | Monthly Price | Staff Included | Payment Processor Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristle | $19/mo flat | Up to 5 staff included | None — use any reader, cash, or Zelle |
| DaySmart Pet | $29–$89/mo | 1 user on Basic ($69–$89 for 3) | +$10–$20/mo surcharge without DaySmart Payments |
| MoeGo | $49–$159/mo | 1 staff member on $49 Basic | Tiered add-ons & SMS quotas per van |
| PetLinx / Gingr | $74–$109/mo | 2–5 users / boarding suite | Built for large kennels & daycare facilities |
FAQ
Have a specific workflow question? Open the demo book or send us a note on the pricing page.
Bristle is a mobile-first grooming book for solo groomers and shops of one to five people who want fast scheduling, coat-and-weight pricing, pet safety notes, and counter rebooking without enterprise bloat.
Open the Shop or Set Up Shop page, enter your shop name and your name, and click Start my own shop. That wipes the Hearth & Hound demo data in one transaction and creates your clean book. You can also export a full JSON backup at any time.
No. Bristle never touches your client's card or skims a percentage of your grooms. You take payment on your existing Square, Clover, Stripe reader, cash, or Venmo/Zelle, and record the amount and tip once in Bristle.
One Flat Plan · $19/mo for up to 5 staff
Tap Maple (9:30 AM) in the Hearth & Hound demo book to test checkout, closeout notes, and 1-tap rebooking — or set up your own shop right now.